Student Positions Available: Undergraduate and Graduate (Spring 2023) – Filled!

This position has been filled!

Help Make a Difference in Polar & Environmental Science

The Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota (UMN), Twin Cities is seeking current UMN Undergraduate and Graduate Students in GIS or related field to join the User Services team. The students in this position will be responsible for a wide range of duties including assisting polar researchers from other institutions in obtaining geospatial data, creating custom map products, managing long-term projects, interacting with research computing resources, and more. Specific skills and workflows will be taught on the job. The ideal candidates will apply strong problem-solving skills, have high attention to detail, and excellent communication skills to provide superior support to staff and the polar science community.

Values

PGC is a science support organization that is built on these values:

• Diversity and Respect: A mix of experiences, ideas, and approaches makes all our work better
• Initiative: The drive to try, learn, or problem solve is inspiring and aids progress
• Outreach: Take what you have learned and return it to the community

Undergraduate Qualifications

• Undergraduate enrolled at UMN for the semester(s) while employed
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and multitask
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently as well as with others

• Focus in GIS, Geography, Remote Sensing, Cartography, Imagery Analysis, or Computer Science
• Familiarity with spatial data types (raster, vector, tabular)
• Working knowledge of commercial or open source geographic information system software

Graduate Qualifications

• Currently registered UMN Graduate Student in GIS or related field
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and learn quickly
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects at once
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and a strong commitment to provide superior support to the polar science community
• Ability to work independently as well as with others

• Focus in Remote Sensing, Cartography, Imagery Analysis, or Computer Science
• 1 year of previous GIS job experience and/or study
• Remote Sensing experience/expertise
• Interest in Polar Science Initiatives and Collaborations
• Ability to work full-time over the summer.
• Customer Service experience

Interviews

We use two interviews.

• • 1. A brief phone/Zoom interview to determine qualifications are met and/or clarify details from application
    2. A panel interview with User Services team members and PGC leadership

All first round interviews will be conducted in a remote environment. Round two interviews will be determined based on candidates availability.

Answers to Some Common Questions

Do students work remotely or in person?

Our work location is currently a hybrid environment with an expectation of 1-2 days in person at our office on the St. Paul campus. An on-site workstation and laptop for remote work will be provided.

Do I need to be a University of Minnesota student?

Yes. Undergraduate and graduate students must be currently enrolled in a GIS or related program at UMN-Twin Cities.

Is travel involved or required?

There are opportunities to travel (when safe and approved by the University) for professional development, training courses, and outreach initiatives.

How about visas or relocation funds?

Academic Support Resources does not currently:

• • • sponsor visas
    • offer relocation funds
    • offer signing bonuses

How to Apply

Ready to apply? Great! Start at the job posting buttons below:

Before you start, you should have:

• • 1. A resume
       • 1-2 page formatted document
    2. A cover letter
       • Tell us what excites you about this job, work you’ve done and where you want your career to go
    3. Names and contact information for three references
       • Mentors, bosses, co-workers, people you study with or talk to at meetups

You can take a break at any point during the application process. Click the Save Draft button and you can return to your application later. When you log back into the job application system, click My Activities and then click on the job title.

If you have any questions while applying, look at the Using the Job Application System page.

About the Polar Geospatial Center

The Polar Geospatial Center provides geospatial support, mapping, and GIS/remote sensing solutions to researchers and logistics groups in the polar science community. Our goal is to introduce new, state-of-the-art techniques from the geospatial field to effectively solve problems in the least mapped places on Earth.

Polar Geospatial Center
R280 Learning and Environmental Sciences 
1954 Buford Ave. 
St. Paul, MN 55108 
612-626-0505

Undergraduates Apply Here! Graduates Apply Here!

Note: if the above link does not work, please search for ‘geospatial’ at this link.